


all those years ago

by blacksatinpointeshoes



Series: Agent Robbie Reyes 'verse [9]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Gen, Movie Night, Mulan (1998) References, Philinda reminisces, Team Bonding, Team as Family, These kids get the break they deserve, mulan - Freeform, well I mean just the movie itself so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-03 23:29:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12758433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blacksatinpointeshoes/pseuds/blacksatinpointeshoes
Summary: The team watches Mulan. They think they know the whole story, but May and Coulson have a very different recollection of how the movie was made.





	all those years ago

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to the tooth rotting fluff I've written in order to offset the pain of out of my mind :) enjoy!

When Melinda May says, “Let’s watch _Mulan,”_ on movie night when it’s her turn to pick, the SHIELD team isn’t really _that_ surprised. They’re both little Asian ladies that kick the asses of anyone who messes with them and end up with a rather prominent military official after completing their heroine’s journey. Sure, Coulson isn’t _exactly_ Captain Li Shang, but considering the way May is looking at him, he’s more than enough.

So, _Mulan._ Daisy is definitely going to use this to embarrass May at some point in the near future, preferably in front of a group of new recruits.

Then Coulson shakes his head and says, “Ooh, _Mulan._ 1998\. That’s a mission I’ll never forget.” May laughs and swings her feet on his lap, curled up against his side like some sort of superspy-cat. “I almost _died.”_

“You did not,” says May flatly, a smile touching one corner of her mouth. “And anyway, I was the one stuck with the voice acting. You wouldn’t believe how happy I was when the studio _finally_ got attacked.”

“I had to jump through a wall!”

“And you enjoyed every second of it.”

“Woah,” says Daisy, leaning forwards to look between May and Coulson with a sudden intensity. “Are you telling me that you guys worked on _Mulan…_ for a mission? You worked on _Mulan?”_

“I was Mulan,” May corrects smugly, and Daisy practically jumps out of her seat.

“You _what?”_

“Mulan,” says Fitz helpfully from next to Jemma, who is observing the whole affair with wide eyes. “May just told you she was Mulan. In the movie.”

“No, Fitz, I heard her, I just – _what?”_ Daisy sputters with glee. Robbie puts a hand on her arm in a vain attempt to calm her down. “I cannot believe this. I _cannot_ – no, that’s not possible. How did this happen?”

“It’s classified,” says May, and Coulson bursts into laughter as he pulls her closer, running his fingers through her hair.

“Hey, that’s my line. And it’s not classified anymore.”

“It was the nineties,” May deadpans in response, glancing over to Daisy’s ecstatic face. “There were rumours of alien energy in the studio. Turned out to be Norse, but not anyone you’d want to meet.”

_“Oh my God,”_ Daisy whispers, voice trembling with delight. “No – okay, how did you get the part of _Mulan_ to begin with?”

“The area needed the be monitored. The Disney cover worked perfectly, considering the activity was already on their property. The only stipulation was that the voice actress of Mulan needed to be a SHIELD agent – someone who would be around long enough for the entire project to be seen through, and someone who would be recognised in order to be allowed back on premises after the movie was completed. I just got the part. SHIELD sent in my STRIKE team and Coulson to look after me in case anything happened.”

“Yeah,” agrees Coulson. “My official title was something to do with sound, but really I just monitored video feeds until something showed up.”

“Until _aliens_ showed up,” May corrects. Coulson tilts his head forwards in allowance, nodding.

“Until aliens showed up.”

Robbie seems kind of interested now. “What sort of aliens?” he asks, his contribution surprising just about everyone. Robbie really doesn’t talk to the team as a group, despite having no qualms holding one on one conversations. In a larger dynamic, however, he just… listens.

“Yeah,” Elena pipes up, now fully invested. She too has been following along May and Coulson’s tale. “What kind of aliens are _Norse?”_

“She means like Thor,” Mack clarifies, shifting his arms around YoYo’s waist. “Right, May?”

“Like Thor except considerably less friendly,” answers Coulson. “They were a precursor to the Chitauri. Fury already knew about the Tessaract and its power, so the unfriendlies that slipped through this portal could be anticipated.”

“I don’t think that the producer ever forgave you for breaking that screen,” May says serenely, sending the room into chaos again.

“Is this when he jumped through the window?” asks Jemma despite herself, covering her mouth. She certainly is _not_ jumping on their childish train of enthusiasm. “Not that I – you know, just for clarity. In case I was interested.”

“The wall,” says May. "He jumped through the wall." Jemma turns beet red but can’t help the smile slipping out from behind her hand.

Daisy looks thrilled with all the ruckus she’s facilitated, because everyone loves Disney movies despite themselves. “Did he?” she asks with a sly grin. “You never did explain that part.”

“It is,” says Coulson, who is just as silly with the excitement as Daisy. It’s something that the two of them have in common – a love for storytelling and dropping one liners. “Well, the Chitauri unit broke in first, and I just went after it. I think it was one of my better moments, _especially_ because it was followed almost immediately by me killing the thing and saving everyone’s necks.”

May snorts. “I had already gotten them to safety and you know it.”

“Sure,” says Coulson, still smiling, “but you never know. It could have broken through the walls and gotten to the civilians anyway –”

“Yes,” May counters, “and met me, fully armed with the exact weapon _you_ killed it with – Phil, I won this argument twenty years ago. It won’t change because we’re having it again in front of the kids.”

“The _kids?”_ echo Daisy and Fitz in unison. Now it’s May’s turn to blush as Coulson cackles with merciless laughter at her slip of the tongue, poking her side and kissing her cheek. Robbie pretends that he isn’t laughing, but he is. (YoYo has gotten the last few minutes on video and Mack is far too amused to even scold her.)

“You know what,” says May, visibly put off and mock-glaring in Coulson’s direction, “just put on the damn movie. It’s been way too long.”

“We saw it in theatres,” Coulson reminds her, and the smile slips out again.

“We wore sunglasses.”

“Pointed out that fake name you used, Ming something.”

“Tried to find yours on the credits –”

“Never did.”

Daisy makes overly loud gagging noises and switches on the TV. “Thanks for the mental picture, _Mom,”_ she says sarcastically, missing the look that passes between Coulson and May completely. “There are some other things you shouldn’t talk about around _the kids,_ and your first date is definitely one of them.”

“Yes,” agrees Fitz, jumping in on Daisy’s behalf. “Nobody wants to know about the things you did when you were young and spritely.”

_“Spritely,”_ snorts Daisy, whacking him. He hits her back, which forces Jemma and Robbie to stop the two spies with the hearts of children.

“Are we going to ever watch this movie?” asks Robbie with some amusement as Daisy leans into his chest. “I’ve never seen it before.”

“Never seen _Mulan?!”_ Daisy cries, incredulous, and the room descends into uproar once more.

But it’s happy uproar, borne of love and laughter. For once, – and just this once - things are going okay.

 

**Author's Note:**

> as always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated :) I'm on tumblr at thoughtsbubble if you'd like to yell at/with me.


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